Our Will of Fire
by the green ace of clubs
Summary: The Hyuga have a dark secret. This secret was know only to a few in the main family. To keep this secret from coming out a father sends his eldest daughter to receive the caged bird seal. But one blond says other wise. Originally wrote by Fatal-Impulse.
1. Chapter 1

Hello to all and to all hello. To start of I DID NOT WRITE THIS! This was originally written by Fatal-Impulse on deviantART. He hasn't been on that site for about two years. I read this a while ago and thought it was a masterpiece, I thought it was wired that now one would put it on here. Just so every one knows im a littlie bit parinode so I was just thinking to my self what happens if this gets deleted because he hasn't bin on there in forever so why not put it on here. I not trying to piss anyone off or get in trouble this is purely for everyone's enjoyment. If people like it enough and think im good enough I will try and continue it but that will be way down the line. There will also be some parts of the story that I will add onto. Well with that said let the show begin.

I don't own Naruto it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto nor do I own the plot its all Fatal-Impulse's.

Our Will Of Fire – Chapter 1 – Homecoming

The lean muscular figure leaped through the trees, his clothing drenched from the heavy downpour that assaulted the land of fire. The gusts of wind and the mighty deluge assaulted him from every conceivable angle, but through it all the blond blue-eyed teen only smiled.

It had been three long, long years, made to seem all the longer from the excruciating training his perverted sensei, the toad sage, had put him through. The young mans smile faltered slightly at thoughts of his painful training. However as quickly as it had appeared it was replaced with an even bigger grin; the training may have been difficult, but he had to admit he was stronger now then he would have thought possible.

Unfortunately… no thoughts of strength could rid him of the memories of Ero-sannin's "investigations", or his Itcha Itcha series.

The young blond's thoughts were interrupted before they could head further down that path by a call before him. "Oi Naruto! You head into the village and tell Tsunade that I'll be there shortly." Naruto turned to regard the white haired sannin wondering what could possibly cause his sensei to delay in this weather. However he saw immediately the cause of the old mans distraction; there, walking on the path were three good looking women, all of which were wearing white shirts which now soaked through, clearly provided the stupid pervert a good view.

Anger welled up within Naruto at his sensei's ridiculous antics when it came to women, and he was about to shout profanities at his teacher when a more clever idea came to mind. I wonder what Tsunade will think of this. Without protest Naruto began anew his efforts to reach the village; though this time he knew he was moving a little faster then before.

It wasn't long before Naruto could make out the top of the protective wall that surrounded Konoha…home. Thoughts whirled through is mind as he approached the gates, I wonder how much everyone's changed? I wonder how much stronger they all are now. Thoughts of seeing his friends again after so long had him feeling happier then he had in a long time.

The two shinobi guards watched the lone figure approach, seemingly fine to walk in the dark of night, feeling apprehensive. Who would be out in this weather? As the figure approached and they could make out the distinct shape of his spiked hair their eyes nearly popped out of their skulls.

Naruto could hardly stifle a laugh as he witnessed the expressions of the two sentries, unlike the two men Naruto could easily make out the details of each one regardless of the darkness and bad weather, and so he saw their dumbfounded expressions quite clearly; it seemed they still recognized him.

A goofy grin on his face Naruto walked comfortably to the gates finding it quite amusing to watch the sentries try, and fail, to compose themselves. "H-Hokage-samma i-is… will w-wish to see y-you immediately." The first one mumbled finally able to control himself. Naruto simply smiled and nodded before sprinted through the gates toward the Hokage building.

The large open area gave a sense of loneliness and sadness as the rain felted the ground, trying to punish it for some past offence. The gust blew the leaves from the trees before sending then spinning around the training grounds like little sharp needles. And there, despite the weather, one feminine figure stood unleashing her fury upon a training dummy.

"TWO! FOUR! EIGHT! SIXTEEN! THIRTY-TWO! SIXTY-FOUR! ONE HUNDRED TWENTY EIGHT!"

The young indigo haired Hyugaa's arms moved in a blur as she lashed out with beams of concentrated chakra, before finally falling limp at her sides at the end of her assault. Byakugan active, the Kunoichi turned to regard what remained of the training dummy…nothing but wooden splinters remained, the space the dummy had occupied now replaced with a small crater.

NO! It's not good enough! I have to be stronger then this, so he can see how strong I have become. Maybe…just maybe, if I become strong enough the mark might not matter. With these thoughts in her mind Hinata Hyugaa resumed her relentless attacks on dummy after dummy, post after post; the person who drove her would return soon, she wanted to be ready.

However eventually Hinata felt her balance start to go as exhaustion finally took hold of her weakened body and she collapsed against the nearest tree, feeling the rain continue to pour as it ran down her already soaked clothing. After her strength returned to the point where she could walk she slowly made her way back inside the Hyugaa complex, deliberately avoiding her father on the way to her room. He hadn't changed at all over the last couple of years, still cold, cruel, and even more ruthless; he'd proved that with his decision only a month ago.

Currently her team-mates Shino and Kiba were her only friends. Neji her cousin was nicer to her now, they were friends, but Hiashi would also keep Neji away from her. He was apparently, better suited to wield the Byakugan then she was. She and her sister were still great friends and cared for each other, but Hiashi kept Hanabi away from Hinata as much as possible, she didn't need the "influence of a failure" in her training. Hinata made a crisp pace as she made her way towards her bed room where she could change from her soaked outfit, wanting nothing more then to change and crawl into bed and bask in the comfort of the covers. And when she finally snuggled up against her pillow she promptly drifted off to sleep her thoughts on one very special blond haired ninja.

Tsunade stared, her jaw opening and closing of its own accord, her eyes still unable to accept one profound change Naruto had undergone during his three year absence. He still had his untidy spiked blond hair, his bright striking blue eyes, and his goofy grin. The medical sannin could still remember how short Naruto had been, the shortest in fact, in his graduating class. What struck her now was that Tsunade found she had to crane her neck to look up into his whisker marked face…he was so tall.

Naruto couldn't hold it any longer as he looked at Tsunade's flabbergasted expression and he burst out laughing. "No longer the short one eh Oba-chan?" he asked, his eyes tearing. "Glad to see me?"

Tsunade couldn't decide to laugh at how his antics hadn't changed, or punch him for his reference to her age. "Baka, as if I wanted to have to put up with your pranks again" her words were cold but her tone and the way she said them conveyed her true meaning to the orange and black clad ninja. Truth be told she was glad to see him, she was quite fond of the youth; well young man now, she cared for him like an older sister or a mother might, and she was truly happy that he was back home. At least…the only thing he could consider home.

Forcing herself from her current train of thought she quickly changed the subject to something that would keep both her and her companion interested. "So how was training Naruto?" She knew what was coming before she even finished posing the question, but still could hardly contain her laugh when Naruto began shouting before going into great detail his accomplishments over the last few years.

"So all and all Ero-sannin was a tough sensei, but in the end I suppose it was worth it." He finished, practically out of breath after somehow retelling the last three years in under ten minutes. Naruto's mention of her former team-mate reminded her immediately of what was wrong with the current picture. "Naruto where is Jiraiya?"

She watched as a smirk flickered across the blond's face before he responded. "Well you see…there were some girls on the road on the way to the village, it's raining pretty hard out there and they were wearing white. You can guess the rest."

Naruto watched barely able to contain his laughter as he saw the rage upon Tsunade's face. Ha ha Ero-sannin if I can't get my revenge personally…I'll just get Oba-chan to do it for me. As ironic as it may have been, Jiraiya chose precisely this moment to burst through the door with a dopey grin on his face.

Naruto burst out laughing as he watched Jiraya's grin turn to a look of horror just before Tsunade's fist connected with his jaw, sending him flying across the room to collide with, and dent, the wall. "Damn you Jiraiya you pervert! If in anyway Naruto starts to show signs that your behaviour has been rubbing off on him you will wish you had never been born." Staring up into female death…who was still pretty, Jiraiya didn't doubt a word.

Her rage played out for the moment Tsunade turned to regard Naruto who to her annoyance, now sat in her chair watching the spectacle from its comfy vantage point. "Naruto you will remove yourself from my chair immediately or you will share your sensei's punishment." Now sooner had she finished then had Naruto complied; he didn't want to be in the same hole Jiraiya had been for so long.

After seating herself back down on the chair, Tsunade turned to regard the teenage ninja frowning, deep in thought. "Naruto it's a good thing you chose to return when you did, your timing is impeccable, you've arrived two days before this upcoming chunin exam. I have already signed you up seen as how your one of the only ones still a genin out of the nine rookies.

WHAT? They had all become chunin before him! Wait she said 'one' of the only ones left, so there has got to be some other people who haven't passed yet. "Well who else is left Oba-chan?"

"Well Naruto there are only three genin left of the nine rookies, you, Hyugaa Hinata, and Lee. Neither Lee nor Hinata have participated in a chunin exam since you left. Lee was waiting for you to return as he wanted to enter the same time you did, as for Hinata her reasons are unknown to me.

Naruto stood wondering what this meant, Lee's actions he could understand, but Hinata's he could not say. She's strong, both inside and out, she just needs a little encouragement sometimes. Why wouldn't she have taken the exam again after I left? She definitely would have made chunin level.

Tsunade looked on confused at Naruto's actions…she'd expected him to rant and rave until she was brought to the point where she had to forcefully shut him up. But all that she'd been rewarded with was one outburst before the youth gained a glazed look and seemed to be daydreaming.

When he finally looked up Tsunade wondered what on earth he'd been thinking about; his bright smile was back and he seemed even more exuberant then he'd been as a kid. Whatever he'd been thinking about had cheered him up, and he was rapidly becoming a nuisance.

"Alright Naruto I have work I need to do so you need to get out of here. First off your old place was a fest hole so I moved all your belongings to another apartment" she handed him the keys and a piece of paper with the address quietly whispering something in his ear as he reached forward for the keys. "Don't worry about rent or anything, I've paid all the expenses, after all I know what Jiraiya does when he gets a hold of money." She finished sending a baleful glare at her old team-mate.

Naruto accepted the keys and paper and after listening to Tsunade's message bolted out the door on the way to his new apartment. It wasn't until he was in the middle of town standing in rain, that he realized he didn't know where the street his place was on actually 'was'. It was going to be a long day.

Hinata stared lovingly up into his clear cerulean orbs wanting nothing more then to sink into them. He'd changed so much over the last few years, and yet their still remained everything about him that she had first fallen in love with, though the new changes were quickly being added to that list. He stared down into her eyes gently placing his arms around her. He felt so warm to the touch and Hinata only barely managed to prevent herself from feinting, though the warm glow in her face signified that she wasn't far off.

"Hinata I have something I need to tell you, I really need to get this off my chest." His voice was deeper then she remembered it but it still sounded lively and warming.

"What is it Naruto-kun?" she wasn't sure how she managed to keep herself from stuttering. She was feeling anxious now, after all Naruto had come to her to talk to her.

"Well it's just that, I-I can't stop thinking about you. Whenever I think about you I can't concentrate and I can't get you out of my head, that and whenever I picture your face I feel all warm and fuzzy inside." Hinata's heart nearly stopped before it accelerated causing her heart to beat so hard she was sure Naruto could hear it. He was thinking about her! He was thinking about her a lot!

"N-Na-r-r-u-to-k-un, w-hat d-do you m-mean?" her stutter was back and she was fairly sure that her entire body was as red as a tomato, taking after her face of course.

"Well I went to Tsunade and had her check me out to see if I was sick or anything, but there wasn't anything wrong with me. No illness, no disease, I have always been immune to getting sick so I doubted that possibility anyways. Next I went to Sakura-chan but she was no help at all. All she said is that I should go talk to you, and muttered something like 'about time'. Finally I talked to Ero-sannin and he explained what this feeling is and why I'm feeling it."

Hinata felt herself on the edge of feinting, she felt the exact same way, and suffered from the same symptoms. However unlike Naruto, she had figured out exactly what the feeling was and where it stemmed from. And so with the knowledge of what he was about to say she stood waiting patiently dreading and hoping that what she believed was the case would come to pass.

"Hinata', his strong but soft voice caused her to squeak slightly in delight despite herself. 'I think that I-I-I…I'm in love with you."

Hinata's head felt like a boiling kettle as it heated up to drastic levels. He'd said it! He'd actually said it! She felt like doing back flips on the spot, but she still had something she had to get out too.

"Naruto-kun I~" the rest of her sentence was cut off as her surroundings faded and she found herself standing in a lush forest. To add to the mysterious aura of the place there seemed to be no immediate wild life, where was she? It was dusk but the moon bathed the area in a soft glow, all the light she needed. Hinata looked around becoming more and more nervous…there was something strange about this place, and yet it was also oddly familiar.

Sweet drrreams little one, I'll watch overrr you. If it finally comes to the point wherrre the seal is imminent I'll prrrotect you. The soft feminine voice filled the clearing, seeming to originate from nowhere and yet everywhere at the same time. Despite it's feline qualities and the fact that it seemed to cause the whole place to rumble it still soothed Hinata's thoughts, she wasn't sure why but she knew that whoever this person was, they were telling the truth.

Quickly she drifted back to her dreams of a certain blond ninja.

"Four bowls of miso-pork ramen please!" Naruto began licking his lips in anticipation, this was the first time he'd been back to taste Ichiraku's famous ramen and he sympathized with his stomach when it let out a low demanding growl.

"Here you are Naruto-san" Ayame said placing the warm bowel of ramen before his greedy eyes.

Naruto took a small taste and immediately smiled a big bright smile. "As always Oji-san you and Ayame-chan make the best ramen on the face of the earth." With that he went at his meal gobbling down ramen at an alarming rate, having to stop and order another eight or so bowels to satisfy his hunger.

Naruto stretched and lay back in his seat, he was feeling tired and bloated after ingesting enough ramen to fill the rest of the rookie nine, excluding Chouji, combined. He slowly closed his eyes and quickly drifted off in thought. Why hadn't Hinata gone on to take the chunin exams again? She could manage, she was strong and when combined with the Byakugan, the gentle fist style she used was one of the most devastating tai-jutsu styles one could employ. He wasn't sure why, but the more he thought about Hinata the harder he found it to stop. It wasn't long before he found himself thinking of the few moments they had shared over the years, regardless of the fact that very few had anything at all to do with her current situation.

Naruto? Naruto anyone awake in that hollow head of yours! Naruto swung up and found himself face to face with a smiling pink-haired Kunoichi. It couldn't be… "Sakura-chan is that you." He knew there was no way that was possible when he felt her wrap her arms around him in a welcoming hug. It wasn't intimate or passionate, just a hug shared between brother and sister so to speak…Naruto knew now that he wouldn't want it any other way.

"It's been along time Naruto" she said her voice a sounded more melodic and less high pitched then it had before he'd left with Jiraiya.

"Sakura-chan!" he yelled enthusiastically bolting upright to a standing position, which strangely caused Sakura to gasp in surprise.

Sakura found herself at a loss for words as she looked upon the figure of her old team-mate. Since when did he get so tall, and he definitely wasn't ripped like this before, not too much, but he is definitely…hard. He stood several inches taller then she, at least six foot she thought. "You're t-taller then me now." She stated more then asked.

"Ya I grew a lot during the time I was gone", he replied with his goofy grin.

Ya that's for sure. She flushed as she struggled to keep her eyes on his face. She thought of him as a great friend, her brother…her really hot brother. I wonder how Hinata will take this. The mischievous thought was enough to focus her attention somewhere other then Naruto.

"So Sakura-chan, do you know why Hinata hasn't taken the chunin exams again since before I left?" The question caught her off guard. Since when has Naruto even noticed Hinata? Oh I can't wait to see his face once he see's how much she's changed, physically at least.

"Actually I'm not sure. She's been training really hard since you left but after being beaten by Neji so bad I'm not sure her father will let her participate again." Naruto just gave her a quizzical look in return for her words. "Well even before you left Hinata was having some…family trouble." Naruto frowned deeply. Wow it seems he's not as oblivious as we thought. "After you left the problems got a little worse." Sakura sighed, she felt truly sorry for her friend and she hoped that telling Naruto this would perhaps spark a relationship between the two. "Her father treated her worse and worse until eventually he declared that Hinata would no longer be the heir of the main household. She was replaced by her younger sister."

Naruto's expression went from shocked to angry before she even finished her sentence. Sakura took a step back involuntarily as she watched his clear blue eyes flash crimson before returning to their regular state. What was that? I'm scared to tell him the rest…after that, he might not be able to control himself. But…I owe it to him to tell him the truth, for his sake as well as Hinata's. "On top of that…the Hyugaa elder council along with Hiashi decided that Hinata belonged in the branch family…she is to receive the caged bird seal tomorrow just before midnight." Her voice was barely a whisper as she finished.

Her depressive thoughts were forced away however when a sudden burst of chakra washed over her. "Hiashi that bastard, treating Hinata like that!" she looked weakly up at her blond friend and was shocked by what she saw. He a red mantle of chakra enveloped his body making it seem as if he was ablaze, his eyes took on a more canine resemblance appearing as blood red slits.

"Naruto…" Sakura's weak voice reminded Naruto of where he was and what was happening, so he immediately dismissed all the Kyubii's power.

"Sakura-chan I'm sorry you had to see that" he felt ashamed and a little scared of what had just happened, after all none of them knew yet. "It's just that even though I don't have a family I know that Hiashi does not act like a father should. He mistreats her, puts her down no matter how hard she tries. It's because of him that she has no confidence, and I will be damned if I let him put the caged bird seal on her!" He was shouting at the end but he managed to keep himself relatively under control.

Sakura wanted to know what had just happened, even Tsunade the Hokage and one of the legendary Sanin didn't have as much chakra as Naruto had just released. However she'd seen something akin to this over the years and new it was a very sensitive issue for Naruto, one of the few, and so she didn't press the matter. "What are you going to do?" she asked instead.

"Well what is there left to do; I'm going to rescue her of course." He replied, his typically fervent expression hard and determined.

Sakura scoffed at the notion. "Naruto are you insane? I'd like to do nothing more then get her out of there but the Hyugaa complex is the most heavily guarded area of the village aside from the anbu headquarters and the Hokage building. How on earth do you plan to get in rescue her and get out?

"I'll definitely be able to rescue her believe it! Sakura-chan I can't blame you for doubting me, but you hasn't seen the new Naruto in action.

Sakura couldn't help but wonder if he really could do it, after only a few moments ago he'd shown he had more chakra then anyone in the entire village, only the fourth or perhaps the late third possessed that much chakra. "Do you promise?" she asked already knowing the answer.

"Of course I do Sakura-chan, and I never break my promises." he said throwing his fist in the air.

Sakura couldn't help but smile; he was still the same Naruto, albeit a stronger and seemingly more insightful one. "Alright I'm with you, Neji will also help us; he doesn't want to see his cousin suffer like he has to."

Alright you said they were going to do it at midnight right? So lets all meet here tomorrow at around nine, which gives us plenty of time to prepare.

"Prepare for what? Last time I checked we didn't have a plan" she still seemed a little nervous about what they were going to do. Then again she's Tsunade's apprentice and we'll be breaking at least a few of the village's laws to do this.

"No worries Sakura-chan! I've already got a plan, just meet me here tomorrow and I'll explain everything. The plan will work with or without Neji so don't worry about it if you can't convince him." Naruto laughed at himself, in truth he didn't really have a plan it was all for show to try to reassure Sakura. Well I can't have her all anxious or else she won't be able to concentrate.

He's got a plan? Wow this Naruto is something else. Normally he would have just stormed in there angry and try to take her by force. Hinata's going to like this new Naruto quite a bit I expect. After all he's still so much like before, just…better. "Alright I'll meet you here on time, and don't worry I'm sure Neji will be here even if he has to sneak out of the compound to do it." And with those words the pink haired Kunoichi ran off leaving Naruto to his thoughts.

This is going to be tough…the Hyugaa are all well trained ninja and on top of that they have the Byakugan. If they notice anything at all out of sorts when we try this then…we are all going to be in deep, deep shit.

So kit, it seems you have feelings for this young Hyugaa. If she is to be your future mate then I support your decision, she may need a confidence boost but she is strong of will not to mention body.

Shut up Kyubi It's nothing like that! We're just friends that's it, nothing more then that.

Ku ku ku…you know I live in this body of yours right? Unlike you I'm not dense and almost completely oblivious, true you've been getting better in that department, but you're still denser then most. You can keep lying to yourself about your feelings all you want, but truth is you like her and you know it.

With those last words Naruto felt the Kyubi recede from his mind leaving him again to dwell on the nights events.

I don't like Hinata as anything more then a friend…right? Naruto swore he could hear the Kyubi's echoing laughter from within him.

"Bah I have more important things to worry about" he whispered to himself. With those last words he disappeared from outside Ichiraku in a puff of smoke. He had to get to work if their plan was going to succeed.

Hinata lay in bed tears streaking down her face. Today was the day; the say she'd feared ever since her father had forsaken her for her sister. Tonight she would receive the caged bird seal on her forehead, indicating that she no longer belonged to the main house but rather the branch family. Am I really that weak…did I really do that badly? Why does he hate me so much? Even before he chose Hanabi as his preference they still all treated me differently. Like there was something wrong with me…like I wasn't supposed to be here…like Naruto.

Silently she damned the powerful voice she'd felt in the night, it had gotten her hopes up even if she didn't realize it. And now all the false hope came crashing down leaving her to her sorrow.

Another torrent of tears poured from her light shaded eyes. What will he think of me now? She pulled her face into her damp pillow and continued to weep. She feared what Naruto would think of her after this, but she also feared the seal itself. It wasn't supposed to be used on Hyugaa once they hit puberty, and Hinata knew she was heading towards the end of that stage.

The reason for this was that in a young child the chakra paths behind the eyes that fed chakra to the Byakugan were still developing allowing the seal to develop with the child's chakra system rather then force the seal to overpower the system to take precedence.

There was a chance that not only would she be unable to see for the next few days, but that she would loose the Byakugan and her eyesight entirely. If that happens, Naruto will never look at me again, and I'll never be able to see those striking blue eyes again. Then again…at least then I wouldn't have to see those glares from father.

She wanted nothing more then to die at this moment. She'd even contemplated taking her own life, but her will held the stronger… she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of proving to them her weakness. But that didn't bring her any reconciliation; it just proved to her that even she had accepted the upcoming event as inevitable.

As she drifted into sorrowful sleep she prayed that somehow, in someway, that Naruto would come to her rescue.

…if only she knew.

Three lone ninja stood in trees outside the Hyugaa compound, blending with the shadows as they made they made their way to their destination. As they came within sight of the complex the lead figure halted the company.

"Alright you guys know the plan right?" The speaker was a peculiar looking blond haired ninja.

"I rendezvous with you at the exit point to provide support and healing should you require it." Answered at pink Kunoichi with dark green eyes

"And as leader of the team sent out to capture you I will lead the patrol teams away, giving you time to escape." The third speaker was fairly tall, nearly as tall as the leader, he wore his indigo hair tied back in a ponytail, but most his notable trait was his…white eyes.

"Alright then commence mission lavender flower." The team broke off immediately do deal with their separate tasks, this was a mission after all, one with more at stake then most others.

Hinata took a bath and washed her face, she wouldn't let them see how distraught their decision had made her. She dressed herself in her shinobi garb, a baggy hoody, with baggy pants that ended halfway down her calf.

And so with these preparations she was ready when her escorts – two Hyugaa elite squad commanders – appeared at her door to lead her to the sanctum; the area where all caged bird seals were performed.

The party then met up with another six Hyugaa foot soldiers that wasted no time splitting into groups and flanking Hinata's group of three on either side. So this is it then…the last time I'll ever even be considered part of the main house, last time I'll ever be considered Hanabi's sister.

She didn't really care if she belonged to the main house anymore, what really mattered was that it was now obvious that her father held no love for her, rather that he hated her. He'd never shown much love for her even before her mother died, and no matter how hard she'd tried he'd never so much as acknowledged her. What's wrong with me that I deserve this treatment, the elders of the council are even worse, they look at me like I'm a monster…a lot like how everyone looks at Naruto. It's no wonder half those reassuring smiles he gave us were fake…he had to deal with this everyday of his life.

The company crossed the courtyard and made their way past the library. Few people were outside, and those that were simply gave her that same cold glare the Hyugaa were so capable of.

Finally they approached the center of the Hyugaa community, the location if the sanctum as well as the temple. The sanctum was far different on the inside then outside she knew. According to Neji the inside was akin to a burial chamber confining and dark; all the better to scare those within. However this was in stark contrast to which now stood before her.

The whole of the outside was carved form a white marble which greatly resembled the white shade of every Hyugaa's eyes. It was a domed structure with numerous effigies carved into the sides leaving the Hyugaa crest alone carved dead center of the massive dome. However it wasn't these which caught Hinata's attention, but rather the engraved sculpture of what appeared to be a woman, albeit one with feline features, standing in the center of a maelstrom of water which she seemed to be controlling.

Despite her current circumstances she couldn't help but find the statuette beautiful, it then proceeded to bring back one of her most pleasant yet embarrassing memories. She'd been practicing her chakra control by manipulating the water of a small lake and waterfall, when Naruto unknowingly walked approached the lake wondering who she was. He hadn't realized that she'd been completely naked at the time, and she was lucky she'd managed to flee before he could recognize her. That was so embarrassing… but I'm actually glad after what he said the next morning. The next morning he'd gone on to tell his tale of the water maiden, the "Ultra-pretty girl." Upon hearing this Hinata remembered blushing like never before. He thought I was pretty and even though he didn't know it was me, I still consider that as one of my happier memories.

Any more memories that might have followed were forced away when suddenly kunai flew out of nowhere imbedding themselves in the flanking guards. Hinata gasped unable to tell what was happening as all six of the junior escorts fell, unable to combat. Trying to come to terms with the situation she activated her Byakugan, while the two commanders of the squad did the same. However even with her heightened vision she was unable to locate any enemy within three-hundred meters. Then where did those kunai come from? Hinata gasped as one of the elite guards clapped her wrists together with a binding.

"You be a good little girl now or we'll be subjected to using force to control you." His tone implied that to disagree would bring death…not that Hinata was listening. She was sitting their astounded as she looked upon the down guards, every one of them was downed but not a single one had been hit in any vital point; in fact it seemed as if the kunai had been thrown so as to down while causing as little damage as possible. But no one who would want to rescue her had that kind of skill, not even Neji. What's going on?

Once again however any attempts at in depth thought were denied as several smoke bombs detonated around her and her two captors. The smoke spiralled out and quickly encompassed the entire area. Who could this be? Surely they know that smoke will hardly do anything against the Byakugan. What! Hinata couldn't help but take sharp intake of breath at what she saw; somehow the smoke had been infused with chakra, enough of it that it made it as difficult to see through with the Byakugan as it was with normal eyes.

"God Dammit! What the hell is going on!" Hinata couldn't answer the question even if she wanted to. Few people knew that she was going to receive the caged bird seal tonight, even fewer knew that it was to occur tonight, and none of them were this skilled.

"Ugh!" the sudden noise to her side brought her gaze to bear where a few moments ago she was sure one of her captors had been. She tried to focus her gaze through the chakra smoke but could make out nothing. Suddenly a strange yet familiar presence appeared behind her. Alarmed Hinata spun around to confront whoever her saviour was and found she was unable to respond.

… Her prayers had been answered.

Naruto sprinted through the smoke towards the two guards and his bound target, all the while complimenting his own genius. He'd been the one to design the chakra infused smoke after Neji had given him some inspiration. "They'll see you coming a mile away Naruto, you have so much chakra you're like miniature sun." That had brought up the idea of blinding his opponents with smoke infused with enough of his chakra to make it opaque.

And to make things even better it didn't deter him in the least. He had the fox's eyesight and so he could see as well in the dark as in the day, maybe better. He easily made out the figures standing in the thick black smoke, it was slightly more difficult to make them out but not much and he quickly dispatched of the guard guarding Hinata, the other guard however was clearly more intelligent and fled to sound the alarm…he had to hurry.

Using speed born of his training with Jiraiya Naruto crossed the distance from the body of the commander to Hinata. He stopped behind her in order to undo the shackles and was slightly surprised when Hinata whirled on him before he could begin to remove them. Wow she's more aware and focused then either of her captors; she really has gotten a lot stronger.

However Naruto's smile fell from his mouth as his jaw dropped when he gazed upon the new Hinata Hyugaa.

Her hair looked silky and soft while possessed of a radiance of it's own as it reflected the soft glow of the moonlight, it was no longer cropped the sides in a duck cut, she'd grown it long and it reminded Naruto of a goddess so perfectly did it cascade across her slim shoulders.

Her hair was not the only thing that changed however, her body had definitely developed in the last three years. She was tall, only a few inches taller then him, slightly taller then Sakura. She had a slim waist with firm hips which were definitely more developed. She had long shapely legs and…a really nice butt. She had also grown in the… chest cavity. Even with her hoody on Naruto could tell her breasts were quite a bit larger then Sakura's, in fact they were larger then everyone he knew but Tsunade's. But unlike Tsunade's who's chest looked almost too large, Hinata's rack suited her perfectly, at least Naruto thought so.

However as attractive as her voluptuous figure was, Naruto found himself drawn to her face more then the rest of her body. Any trace of baby fat was gone; her lips were large and attractive to say the least. He found himself lost, hardly able to come to terms with the incredible change that had overcome his friend. He felt even more helpless as he gazed into her gorgeous eyes. Eyes which he realized weren't white like those of most Hyugaa's but rather pale lavender purple.

Wow she's so pretty… I can't believe how much she's changed over the last few years.

Hinata was too shocked by the change in Naruto to notice him staring at her. She knew her mouth must have been hanging open despite her best efforts, but it was impossible to ignore. Naruto previously one of the shortest ninja was now undoubtedly one of the tallest, he stood a good few inches taller then she did and she was taller then any of the girls and the majority of the boys. He was more muscular then before each of his muscles fine toned form years of physical training.  
>His face was no longer boyish having lost all baby fat. The three whisker-like birthmarks he sported on each cheek had developed becoming slightly thicker and quite a bit more noticeable. They look so cute…and my god has he changed.<p>

He'd most certainly changed quite a bit for both good and bad in Hinata's opinion. He had definitely become what the other girls would call attractive and Hinata couldn't help but enjoy the change. But how on earth am I supposed to keep my eyes off him now! It was hard enough before but now… the dreams are going to get much, much worse…  
>The dream served as a reminder to the fact that Naruto now stood only a foot away from her and he was staring into eyes with his azure gaze. Her cheeks began to glow; becoming a dark crimson as she realized that the man she loved stood so close to her and was staring right at her, she knew she was blushing profusely but she refused to turn away; she would look him in the eye and prove that she was stronger then before he'd left.<p>

Naruto noticed the fierce blush the made its way onto Hinata's face and expected her to turn away from him, if not the worst which resulted in her feinting, and so he was quite surprised when she held his gaze with her own. You really have changed, I can already tell you're stronger then before, and even if he wouldn't admit it to himself he really liked the change, the physical and the mental.

It was then that the entirety of their situation crashed back down on his shoulders. They had to get out of their before the guard returned with reinforcements.

"Hinata spin around so I can undo those binds on your wrists. Quickly before that guard comes back, I don't have anymore of that smoke so we have to get out of here before then."

Hinata immediately complied, she wasn't sure what exactly was happening, but Naruto had come to rescue her and she would do her best to make his efforts succeed. As soon as she had halted her rotation she felt her wrists come free. She brought them up before her wondering how Naruto had removed them and was astounded to see the metal had been sheared down the center, and whatever had cut it had done so with precision any human forged tool could not attain.

At her questioning look Naruto explained what he'd done. "It's just chakra" he said pointing his finger in the air, and causing the chakra to intensify until it was visible giving him what could only be described as, a glowing blue chakra claw extending from his finger. "It's kinda like those lasers you use except mines not as cool, you can shoot yours and they are a lot thinner because of your control, this is the thinnest I can make mine."

Hinata blushed and looked at the ground after receiving this compliment from her crush; it felt really good if only because it came from him rather then someone else.

Suddenly a loud siren went off and shouts could be heard form all over the compound; the alarm had gone off.

"Shit Hinata we gotta get moving before they find us." Hinata then made a slight squeak as Naruto swept her off her feet and began running while carrying her bridal style. She blushed even more at this, and regardless of how much she didn't want to she was about to suggest that she could run on her own. That was however before Naruto put on a sudden burst of speed, Hinata knew that she would have been able to keep up, but she also knew that she didn't have the endurance to so like Naruto, he was moving nearly as fast as Lee had without his weights back at the last chunin exams, not to mention that he was carrying her.

They continued running even once out of sight of the compound, or rather Naruto kept running, Hinata found herself quite willing to stay snuggled up against his chest while she lay in his arms.

They continued their crazed run into the forest and continued in for a good few hours before Naruto pulled to a halt. "N-Naruto-K-kun where are w-we going, as soon as we r-return to the village my f-f-father will just have Tsunade get you to t-turn me over to them to f-finish the s-s-sealing."  
>"As if I would let anyone take you back to that monster, and besides Tsunade's on my side, that's in fact where we're gonna head right after this."<p>

Hinata flushed at his first comment, before asking how they planned to escape the search patrols. "H-how do you p-plan to escape the H-H-Hyugaa search patrols, they all have the B-Byakugan and it w-won't take them l-long to spot us?"

Naruto turned to her and gave her one of his reassuring grins. "Don't worry we won't have any trouble with patrols of any kind thanks to you're cousin Neji."

"Neji!" she gasped, HE was involved in this? If he was caught there would be serious repercussions.

"Ya Neji, he's the leader of the search party division and even as we speak he's leading them all on a wild goose chase, following false tracks I set up earlier." Hinata was astounded, the whole thing seemed to be planned to perfection and she could only guess that Shikamaru was the brains behind this operation.

"Who p-planned all t-this?" she asked timidly her cheeks still red, after all they were only walking now but Naruto still hadn't put her down.

Naruto gave her a wide grin before giving her an answer she most certainly did not expect. "None other then yours truly!" he said clearly proud that his plan had seemingly worked out so well.

"Y-you d-did?" her voice hardly a whisper. She was in shock at this new revelation for two reasons. First it meant that Naruto cared for her considering he'd been the one to plan the whole thing, and secondly it proved that immature Naruto, the one who always went into something headfirst, had finally shown some maturity. She took another look up at Naruto in wonder and he seemed about to say something when another voice entered the fray.

"Naruto, Hinata you made it!" the voice belonged to a pink haired Kunoichi who Hinata recognized and knew quite well.

"Sakura-san? You were a part of this too?" Hinata could hardly believe her friends would go this far for her.

"Of course Hinata, after Naruto said he was going to rescue you I couldn't just sit by and do nothing, of course I would help you."

Naruto and Hinata both looked about to speak but Sakura wasn't finished yet. I might as well embarrass Hinata a little bit while I have the chance.

"So did something happen between you two that I should know about?" she asked innocently enough though her intentions were nothing of the kind. Hinata blushed out of habit but they both looked at her questioningly. "Well 'just' friends don't tend to travel around like that."

Naruto looked down at the beautiful form in his arms and realized what Sakura had been getting at. "Oh sorry H-Hinata I wasn't paying attention" he said gently setting her down on the ground, carefully avoiding any contact with specific places on her body. He wasn't sure why he was so embarrassed, or why he'd stuttered something very rare for him.

Hinata couldn't help but feel a little disappointment as she was forced to remove her head from its resting place against Naruto's strong chest. She knew she was terribly red; Sakura had made that awkward for the both of them deliberately. "S-so-rry N-N-Naruto-k-kun I d-didn't m-mean t-t-to." Her voice trailed off as she looked up to see Naruto scratching the back of his head his goofy grin on his face AND, a red streak on his cheeks. Why is he blushing? He couldn't possibly…could he?

Sakura did her best to hide her shock as well as her impish grin; she hadn't missed Naruto's blush and neither had Hinata. Maybe, just maybe Hinata will get what she's always wanted. "We should head to see Tsunade immediately, I'm sure she'll side with us on this one. And if by the off chance she doesn't, well then we can always hide you Hinata until this whole thing blows over."

Sakura's voice woke him from his thoughts of his indigo haired companion. "Alright I'll escort Hinata to see Tsunade; you get back to bed Sakura-chan. If you get caught out here people will easily make the connection."

"B-but w-what a-about you N-Naruto-kun? They'll notice you too and my father hates you. If any trace that linked you to this was found he'd do his best to lay this whole thing on your head. On top of that I'm pretty sure I can get to the Hokage building without being seen." Hinata was surprised she'd managed to get almost the entire thing out without stuttering, must be because I'm concerned for his wellbeing.

"I'd never leave you to make the trip by yourself Hinata" she didn't miss the fact that he was blushing again. "Besides, most people don't even know I'm back yet, you're father doesn't even know that I've returned so it would be kinda hard for him to blame me. Like it or not Hinata I'm your bodyguard for now."

Hinata definitely did like the way things were going and so she didn't bother to throw up another argument. After all Naruto could handle himself, he'd already managed to steal her out of her own house and take down a small company of Hyugaa soldiers doing it, and he didn't even have a mark to show for it. "T-thank y-you Naruto-k-kun."

"Hey don't worry about it Hinata, I wanted to do it." And indeed he had wanted to do it. He'd forced everyone to recheck all the preparations they'd made many more times then necessary, he'd wanted everything to go perfectly. Which for once in his life, it had. They'd gotten Hinata out safe and sound and not a one of the guards was seriously injured.

"Alright lets go." He said turning and heading towards the village. Hinata followed suit and Sakura found herself hoping that a little magic might spark between them on the road home.

Naruto walked along the path back to Konoha. He was the one who should have been alert and ready, but at the moment that was not the case. It was taking all his will power to prevent him form staring that the gorgeous body of the woman beside him, and thinking about how he'd been carrying her earlier left him feeling strangely warm.

Ugh! Stop it Naruto, you might like her but there's no possible way she'd ever return the feeling. If you say something you'll just make it really awkward for the both of you.

Kit as much as I've grown fond of you, I just can't help but point out HOW INCREDIBLY STUPID YOU ARE!

Thanks a lot for the compliment fox, now seriously what the hell do you want?

Kit I'm doing you a favour and yet you blow me off, great way to make friends and influence people. The sarcastic tone was evident in the fox's voice.

What the fuck do you want! Can't you tell I'm thinking of something important right now!

Watch your tongue kit, I was merely going to point out that the young Hyugaa would most certainly return your feelings for her.

And why of why mighty trapped fox would you do that. Naruto knew the remark regarding the fox's strength and entrapment would raise his ire but he couldn't help it regardless of how much he wanted his question answered.

SHE LIKES YOU BAKA! If you weren't so dense you would have noticed it long ago, and I can't help but wonder what it would have taken for you to realize it if I hadn't just told you!

What do you mean she likes me? She's a princess and I'm an orphan there's no way she likes me.

Oh really? Then why does she blush every time you're around. On top of that she's one of the few people that have never regarded you with anything resembling hate or dislike; I doubt she could even if she wanted to.

Naruto was stunned, he'd never even thought about those things before, but now that they'd been laid bear by the Kyubi all the pieces of the puzzle seemed to fall into place.

Then that means that all those times when I touched her forehead and she feinted, the reason was because…

That's right Kit. You're learning, albeit slower then I'd like but its better slow then not all.

Sorry did you say something fox? Naruto chuckled slightly as he heard some of the Kyubi's mumbled profanities as it receded leaving him to contemplate his thoughts alone.

If Hinata really did like him which he now believed to be the case, then it wouldn't be so bad if they went on a date would it?

Slowly his mind wound its way back into reality as he felt something heavy on his shoulder. He glanced down and was surprised to see that it was the head of a groggy Hinata. "Hinata what's wrong, why are you walking all funny?" as he watched Hinata stumble along leaning on him for support.

"N-Naruto-kun…they gave me a sedative earlier, it's supposed to take affect only after the seal is placed, I didn't feel the effects before so I thought that without receiving the seal it was meaningless, but now…" her voice was weak, just above a whisper and Naruto knew she couldn't travel like this.

He gently hoisted her up onto his back thinking to run her to Tsunade's when a sudden downpour started, much like the one he'd been forced to travel through on the way into Konoha. He would have continued on through the storm but it was crisply cold out and if Hinata got wet in this temperature she might freeze. "Alright we can't travel in this weather so I'll find us a cave and we can stay there for the rest of the night."

"H-Hai…" the weak reply scared him. He knew what a sedative was and knew that it wouldn't directly harm her, however sedated was not a good state to be in when one was soaked in cold weather.

Even though he employed the Kyubi's power to boost his speed, Naruto found that both he and Hinata were soaked when he arrived at a cave large enough to fit them in that was uninhabited.

As he gently lifted Hinata from his back his hand brushed her face and the cold he felt there made him panic. She was cold and pale, her lips looked a little blue, and she was unconscious. She was not in good condition. Naruto quickly had a small smokeless fire going, he would have preferred a larger warmer fire, but anything else and the smoke would not only lure the search patrols to them, but would also cause them to suffocate.

Naruto once again checked on Hinata, only this time he found her shivering, her body was trying to keep warm but he knew that in those wet close it was never going to happen.

He gulped audibly as he knelt over her figure, well aware of what he had to do. This is only to save her life I'm nothing like Ero-sannin. But despite his best efforts a felt the tell-tale glow in his cheeks indicating he was blushing quite a bit as he slowly unzipped her hoody. He did his best to keep the zipper and his fingers form touching her chest but even so his fingers still lightly brushed her large mounds. After another moment of so Naruto had managed to remove her hoody which he place stretched out by the fire; with luck it would be dry by the time they woke.

The next thing he had to remove was the pants, and these were going to give him considerably more trouble. He could hardly tear his eyes from the sight of her large breast clad only in a silk lavender bra, and he could imagine all to well what her panties might look like. Abruptly he felt a pressure growing in his loins, one with which he was all too familiar, and so he immediately began carefully pulling off her wet bottoms; he had to get this done soon or he knew hw wouldn't get any sleep.

Almost as soon as her wet cloths were removed she began shivering even more then before, her silky undergarments did little to protect her form the cold and the wind. He promptly placed the undone sleeping bag he'd been heating up near the fire, over her tucking in the edges so as to insulate the warmth. Strangely it wasn't until after he'd dealt with Hinata that he'd even realized how cold HE felt.

He knew he wouldn't freeze, or rather couldn't freeze thanks to the Kyubi. But that didn't stop him form being uncomfortable and he knew that if he didn't find some warmth he wouldn't sleep and he figured he'd need his strength when he woke up.

Reluctantly Naruto clad only in his boxers slipped underneath the makeshift blanket beside Hinata. He placed his little nightcap between them and propped Hinata's head up on his pillow, she needed it more then she did.

Even though he was in somewhat of an awkward position it still took less then ten minutes for the blond ninja to fall prey to slumber.

Hmm, that feels nice. Hinata thought as she snuggled in closer to her warm pillow. She wasn't sure why but she felt incredibly cold regardless of the fact that she lay in bed, and so in an attempt to find warmth she pressed herself up against the large warm pillow, happy to bask in it's heat. It was then that she felt her pillow rise and fall, like the rise and fall of a person's chest when they breathed.

Hinata ran one of her hands down her body to realize that she was wearing nothing but her bra and panties, Where am I, and what is the thing I'm lying against? She was afraid of the answers she might guess but none the less she opened her eyes to take in her surroundings.

It took her mere seconds to realize the 'nice warm pillow' she'd been snuggling up to was nothing short of Naruto's muscled chest. This caused her to flush violently, glad that he wasn't awake for what she'd been doing to him. It was then that she realized that neither of them had anything more then undergarments on and the thought was too much to take. She feinted.

She woke up a few minutes later only to nearly feint again when she opened her eyes to see Naruto's face mere inches from her own.

"Hinata…you're really pretty…" he mumbled somewhat incoherently. Hinata's eyes widened and she thought she might go into shock. Did he just say what I think he said? Not only did he think she was pretty but he was dreaming about her! It was too much to hope for!

"Oh Naruto if only you knew" she whispered staring at his handsome face so close to hers. She began to pull back only to receive a much unexpected surprise as Naruto's face drifted closer and his lips swallowed hers. Her heart raced, he was kissing her. He may have been asleep but that didn't matter, He's kissing me! Oh my god I'm kissing him! Instead of pulling back she gave herself over to him allowing his tongue to explore her mouth as they continued the sensual moment.

He seemed about to let off but Hinata wasn't done yet, asleep or not she wasn't letting him off after a kiss like that. She pressed her body up against him and gently lay her lips upon his and was quite pleased when he tenderly began kissing her again. It felt like she'd always dreamed it would, it felt magnificent.

…Little did she know, Naruto was now very much awake.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own Naruto it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto nor do I own the plot its all Fatal-Impulse's.

" Speaking"

_'_Thinking'

"**Demon, summon, and jutsu"**

_"**Demon, summon thinking"**_

Our Will Of Fire –Chapter 2 – Growing Fonder

He wasn't sure what had come over him, why he'd suddenly felt the need to kiss the young Kunoichi lying beside him, all he knew was he was in heaven. Naruto did his best not to moan and to control the hot feeling he felt in his loins, as Hinata's tender wet lips brushed his. It felt great and it took all his will power to keep himself from revealing that he was no longer asleep.

'Why does this feel so good? But more then that it feels…right, as long as I know its Hinata, it feels right.'

He kissed her again with everything he had, while still making the movements that would make him appear to be asleep. He wanted nothing more then to open his eyes and look into her beautiful eyes, but if that happened now it would be very awkward for the both of them.

First off he would have to explain why he hadn't bothered to stop her, it was fairly obvious but he wasn't ready to reveal it to Hinata just yet. Secondly he'd probably have to explain what they had been doing in his dream…something he REALLY didn't want to tell seeing as how it resembled a much more graphic and intimate version of what they were currently doing. And thirdly it would make Hinata very uncomfortable when she had to explain why had let him begin kissing her in the first place.

Especially now, he really wanted to know why she had kissed him, but he also didn't want to scare her or make her feel uncomfortable so he would refrain from 'waking up' until a more appropriate time. Besides…he didn't really want to stop. And so he continued kissing her, doing his best to draw her back in whenever she was about to break off, it lasted for a good five to ten minutes before she finally stopped.

'She's probably stopping because she thinks I might wake up…oh I wish she hadn't stopped."

**"Ku ku ku…I told you kit, you didn't believe me then but how about now? I'd say it's pretty obvious that you like her and it's only a matter of time before she figures it out if she hasn't already.**" The deep rumble of fox bothered Naruto more at this time then it would have usually.

'Could you piss off for a while, in the middle of thinking about something.'

"**Hmm…thinking of something to do with the Hyugaa I gather?**"

"Yeah so what?" Naruto asked defiantly. The fox was no longer so much evil, but he hadn't lost any of his taste for mischief and so Naruto knew he always had to be careful, he was a fellow prankster himself so he knew all to well what the fox might do.

"**You know I caught that entire bit too…**"

'God Dammit! Is there anything I think or say that you don't hear?'

"**No kit, not unless you deliberately use your mind to hide it from me, something that you've been doing sub consciously with thoughts of the Hyugaa which has been bothering me to no end.**"

'Well good some of those thoughts are private and absolutely none of your business. Stupid fox.'

"**None of my business hmm? You know I know all too well about those little dreams of yours kit…the ones with you purple eyes here.**"

Naruto was shocked and embarrassed all at once, He knew? The dreams of which the fox spoke were private because they all seemed to be very sexual in nature, all of them ending with him and Hinata doing some very intimate things. "Gah, th-those are none of your business."

"**Kit I'm in this body of yours too and I notice all the little things that happen to it…including those little urges you get…**"

Naruto was feeling less and less comfortable with the fox's reminder of his dreams…they brought to mind the presence of the beauty lying beside him. "God Dammit control yourself, damn you Ero-sannin, I wouldn't think like this if you hadn't exposed me to those damn novels and crap."

Drawn back to reality by the heat of the body beside him Naruto ceased all thoughts of anything but sleep and drifted into slumber where more of his sexual dreams awaited.

**-Hinatas mind-**

"Ahh…Naruto-kun…" the rest of Hinata's words were lost in the wind as she was wrenched away from her pleasant dream to a place she had never seen before. She now stood dead-center of a pool of water fed by a large waterfall; the view was majestic to say the least with the beautiful clearing surrounded by woods as far as the eye could see and a thin mist from the cascading water resting in the air.

"W-w-what's going o-on?" she whispered looking down to see that she wasn't using any chakra to keep herself above the clear liquid pool. She yelled in surprise "Eeek!" and immediately focused her chakra into the bottoms of her feet, only to realize it wasn't there…she had no chakra. 'What, why don't I have chakra?' her unvoiced question went unanswered as a feeling of vulnerability crept over her.

Hinata felt quite scared at the moment, 'Is this some type of genjutsu?' Her worry increased even more at this prospect, her primary fighting style involved the use of chakra and being physically weaker then Neji she was nearly defenseless without it.

Afraid to stay out in the open she took a sudden step forward, only to be confronted by the image of a small blond boy clad in ripped clothing being pelted with rocks by shadowed figures, while he tried to escape the cold snow and crisp wind.

'What on earth are they doing! The boy's just a child trying to keep warm he didn't do anything to deserve that kind of treatment.'

Making an attempt to escape the hard projectiles the boy crawled along the ground on all fours towards her, face down, keeping low as to try and escape the attacks of his shadowed assailants.

'I've got to help him.' Her mind made up Hinata began running towards the poor child with every intention of helping the poor boy…even if it meant incapacitating his attackers. She'd been badly abused as a child, not just by her father but by her entire clan, why they hated her so much she could not know but, she was not about to let this boy suffer the same fate she had so many times as a child. However as the boy looked up the shadows disappeared and Hinata found herself frozen mere feet from the small boy.

'It's not possible…why…why am I dreaming about this! Why!' The boy seemed to look at her for a moment before glaring back in the direction of his attackers, his whisker marked face and piercing blue eyes doing all the talking.

"Naruto…" The boy once again turned towards her and held her gaze, this time with no hate or malice but rather with a frightened look.

"You're not going to throw rocks at me too are you? You don't hate me too right?"

Hinata began to cry as she tried to hug the small boy, only to have him disappear in her arms. "Why am I having dreams like this? I don't want to see this, I'm the one who went through that not him and I never want to see him ever go through that, so stop showing me Dammit!" Hinata vented her anger at nothing in particular, she couldn't blame anyone but herself, after all they were her dreams.

Hinata closed her eyes at a loss as to what was going on, this was clearly a dream, the only problem was that this one seemed VERY, very real. She was still considering her predicament when yet more images flashed into existence. Around her hidden in the mist, now stood seven figures, she couldn't distinctly make out any of the massive things but they were not human, of that she was certain.

Taking an involuntary step back from the frightening monstrosities around her, she was nearly feinted when she noticed the outline of one of the shadows had eight tails. Frantically searching for confirmation she realized to her dismay that she did indeed face…them.

The nine legendary demons, ancient creatures of chakra possessing more power then any village, any three villages combined. They were the most powerful creatures in existence, with one paw or claw they could level mountains, scar the earth and create valleys, they were nearly indestructible and nigh unstoppable; and now seven of them stood before her.

Thoughts whirled through her mind but she quickly dismissed them, it wouldn't matter where she hid or ran, she had no chance of escaping that which surrounded her. 'Still…why are there only seven? There should be nine; I couldn't make out the Kyubii or the Shichubi.'

She couldn't pursue that train of thought further however as the seven surrounding demons suddenly encroached upon her, even as they broke the mist there forms were still surrounded by shadow, not that it made them any less intimidating.

'What am I supposed to do now?' she was terrified as well as worried. Although it was a dream, she was fairly certain that being caught by any of the demons would still prove harmful.

"**Don't worry little one I'll always be there to protect you.**"

The voice caused the other demons to halt in their tracks, before – to Hinata's unbelieving eyes – retreating. Who could possibly be protecting her that could scare off creatures as powerful as the Bijuu? 'Who are you?' Hinata asked after the black forms that would now haunt her nightmares faded entirely.

"**You already know you simply haven't connected everything together yet. I'm a part of you little one, just as much as you are a part of me.**"

Hinata thought and thought hard while the puzzle pieces gradually slid into place. The picture wasn't complete but Hinata could already guess the truth, a truth that scared and angered her. "Y-you're one of them aren't y-you? You're t-the seven-tails." Saying it out loud reassured Hinata that her decision was indeed correct.

"**Yes I am the seven-tails, you did well to catch on so quickly**".

Despite receiving a compliment Hinata was now far more angry then afraid, so this was the reason her clan had abused her and hated her since she was born, they knew about what was inside her.

"It's your entire fault…you are the reason my clan hates me and my father abuses me. If not for you I would have grown up just like a normal person." Hinata's voice was dripping with venom by the time she finished, all of it directed at her so-called 'protector'  
>The demons voice actually took on a sympathetic tone when it, or rather she, as the voice was clearly female, replied.<p>

"**For all that happened because of me I'm deeply sorry, what they did to you was inexcusable. I would have helped you myself but until recently I have been completely cut off from you aside from being able to witness your life.**"

The demon truly sounded sorry, even seemed to regret what had happened, something Hinata was not at all expecting.

"**Well little one I suppose I should introduce myself, I am Shichubi the seven-tailed cat.**"

Hinata had already made that connection and seemed to just stare blankly, while her mind worked furiously behind her dazed expression. After a few moments of silence she spoke, her voice nearly cracking filled with sadness and despair. "They all hate me, are afraid of me, all because they think I'm a…I'm a monster… 'What the hell do I mean, think, I am a monster.' The revelation made her eyes water and she could already feel the torrent of water welling up behind her closed eyelids. 'A…monster.'

"**NO!**" The sudden outburst from the demon startled her, and more then a little scared her. "**Please don't think of yourself as a monster just because I'm sealed within you. Please…all of my hosts have always been treated badly and I feel terrible because of it, I didn't choose to be sealed here…I really never wanted you to be treated like this.**"

The demon's voice was plagued with sadness and regret but Hinata still couldn't shake the feeling. "I-I'm a monster." Stating it out loud proved to be too much for her and salty tears began to cascade down her cheeks.

"**Oh little one I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry.**"

The words alone did little to ease her pain and the tears continued to flow. She slumped to her knees and sobbed, reliving everyday of her abuse and the reason behind it. She was consumed with emotion and so, was caught completely by surprise when something soft and fluffy brushed her tears away. She looked up unable to comprehend how someone had so easily snuck up on her and nearly feinted as she came face to face with her 'protector'.

Shichubi was nothing like Hinata had expected, she did not appear as the other Youma had; frightening and repulsive, not even as a cat. No, instead she had a form much akin to that of the effigy Hinata had seen in the Hyugaa complex. She resembled Hinata closely in every physical aspect excluding their eyes, hair and a few radical differences. She had a sleek voluptuous body with large breasts and long shapely legs much akin to Hinata, her skin was soft and pale, paler even then Hinata's.

However that's were the human similarities ended and the 'special' differences began. Her long hair was a very light white blue and seemed to glow as the light rebounded off it. In fact, Hinata thought, 'it looks like it is made of water or ice'. To add her strange appearance her skin was covered in what could only be…fur, in some places. Her upper legs, thighs, upper arms, chest and neck were all covered in a white fur which shifted to blue around the edges. And last but not least was the most inhuman difference between them, protruding from Shichubi's tailbone were seven long fox like tails, each a bright white with light blue tips. It was one of these tails that was gently rubbing Hinata's the look of awe and confusion on the face of her host Shichubi knelt down beside her charge and hugged her close startling the young woman.

" **I can see you're confused by my appearance, you should know that not all of us demons are evil, in fact the majority of us aren't, this is essentially what our true forms look like, we only take on our bestial form when under sever stress or in combat against strong or numerous opponents. Please little one, don't be scared of me, I care for you and the last thing I would want to do would be to hurt you.**"

Hinata was astounded by Shichubi's beauty and even more so by her actions, this was not how she would have expected one of the great Bijuu to act. Her words were comforting and Hinata actually began to feel better. This didn't last long however when another realizations struck her, one which angered her quite a bit.

"You…you were the one controlling this whole thing, if you have really been inside of me for so long you know how I feel about Naruto, so why the hell would you make me watch him go through that?" Hinata was angry, what she had witnessed not only broke her heart but also made her relive past memories, one she had tried to forget.

"**Please Hinata believe me when I say that I had absolutely nothing to do with showing you that, I did not in anyway bring that image into being. That was actually…not your dream.**"

"Not my dream? If it wasn't my dream then where did it come from?" Hinata could already guess but she prayed that she would be proven false.

"**Hinata what you saw was someone else's dream, the dream of the one currently lying beside you while you sleep. I know this is going to bother you but…that was not a dream…dream. He was reliving a memory…that actually happened.**"

"B-b-but why? I know he's an orphan but he's done nothing wrong, he's never said anything about being abused as a child before, not even once."

"**I mean no offence but what do you truly know about Naruto's past? I know this might bother you a little bit but I've kept tabs on every word that's come from his mouth and I know precious little about his past. You don't have a memory that spans eons, and have other things to be doing so you likely know even less then I. I will tell you this; he is not anywhere near as dumb as everyone makes him out to be… well at least in every affair but affection.**"

Even Hinata's dream form blushed at this remark causing the Shichubi to giggle, a strangely pleasant sound that lifted some of the weight from Hinata's shoulders.

"**Now it's time I must leave you love, your boy out there is getting pretty worried that you're not waking up. I'll just say this, don't tell him about us, not yet anyway, and if ever you feel like you're a monster and I can't shake the feeling out of you, talk to him. Trust me when I say he knows how you feel, he has a secret far darker even then yours, I know you want to know but don't question him, he'll tell you sooner or later, likely sooner. Goodbye little one.**"

Hinata slowly opened her eyes, still trying to digest everything that had happened, not just over the last few days, but primarily the time she'd spent with the Shichubi, and so she was pleasantly surprised and startled to wake up to see Naruto's warm blue eyes mere inches form her own.

"Hinata-chan you're okay right? You were scaring me for a second there, you seemed to be sleeping but I couldn't wake you and you were shivering for some reason." Naruto knew something was wrong when Hinata didn't respond, not with her usual blush or a light squeak, nothing.

"Hey c'mon I know something's wrong Hinata, I can tell when something's bothering you and I know something is now, you can tell me, I won't tell anyone else and that's a promise, and you know I'll keep my promise."

He was very surprised when Hinata wrapped her arms around him and began sobbing into his shoulder. "Naruto-kun…do ever feel like you're a monster…that everyone wishes you'd just leave and never return. Li-like you're a bad memory that people want to forget?"

Naruto did his best to keep the tears from his eyes, succeeding only barely. He felt all the terrible memories of his life return to haunt him, all the days of abuse, of being the 'demon brat'. The life like dream he'd had last night made things even more difficult as that was one of his old memories. "Hinata… people do want you around, I want you around, and no matter what people might say about you, I care for you and trust me when you say your not alone."

Hinata hugged him closer feeling better as his heart-warming words rushed over her. "T-thank you Naruto, you always know how to make me feel better." She had no idea that Naruto's words had come straight from his heart. They were what he had always wanted to hear when he was a child, and he was glad his words had made her feel better.

"But Hina-chan…why would you ask a question like that?" His use her little nickname caught her off guard and she had to smother the urge to tell him everything.

"Nothing Naruto, I'm-I'm fine." Hinata found that even to herself she sounded unconvincing and so she was not surprised when Naruto once again subtly pressed the issue.

"Hinata, if it's something you aren't comfortable sharing with me that's fine just say so, but if not please tell me, I won't judge you and I'm just here to help you."

'Oh god I want to tell you, but… you aren't ready for that yet and I don't want to lose you, not now'. She let out deep sigh before answering the blond.

"Naruto I want to tell you, but as much as I want to, I'm not ready to reveal that to anyone right now, not even you…no yet anyways."

The emphasis on his name was not lost on Naruto and despite himself he felt a telltale heat in his cheeks indicating he was blushing. 'Oh no I'm blushing and she's gonna see.'

He was about to turn and look away but Hinata placed her hands on either side of his face, her lovely pale lavender eyes looking at him affectionately but uncertainly. Before he could open his mouth to respond she leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips. It wasn't anything like what they'd done last night, just one quick kiss, one quick kiss that meant a lot. Hinata pulled back quickly from the still stunned Naruto her face as red as ever.

"I h-hadn't thanked y-you for s-saving me yet." She muttered forcing herself to look at him. She was very surprised and very happy to notice the dark crimson streaks across Naruto's features playfully clashing with his whisker like birthmarks.

' Maybe…just maybe I have a chance.' Naruto thought as a light blush came to his face.

"Th-thanks Hina-chan…" she shivered at how her affectionate nickname sounded in his husky voice. He wanted to say more but he figured it would just make things awkward; their feelings could be dealt with once this whole affair was over and Hinata was safe from her malevolent backstabbing clan. "Hinata it's still very early outside and we need our rest, you especially because you don't look too well."

Hinata took on a confused expression. 'What's he talking about?'

"You're looking paler then usual and despite sleeping so long while under the sedative, sleep deprived."

She must have been up all night this last week knowing what her family was going to do to her. 'Damn Hiashi that bastard, this isn't how a father should act.' Doing his best to hide his anger at this last thought he gently bade Hinata good night who fell asleep immediately, and slowly began drifting off to slumber beside her, he was more then happy to oblige when she began snuggling into him while she slept.

**-Sakuras apartment-**

The pink haired Kunoichi paced frantically in the kitchen of her small apartment, worry and anxiousness written clearly upon her features. She hadn't slept at all and doubted she was going to until they returned. "Why aren't they back yet? They should have been back by now." As much as she hated it her mind immediately began rattling off all the possible reasons why they hadn't shown up, almost none of which were good.

'They most likely reason she knew was the sudden downpour that had started up soon after she'd left the two of them. Normally even such large torrents of water would be ignored, but Neji had mentioned something about a sedative being used on the one to receive the mark. If that was the case then it was likely that Hinata had begun feeling the effects of the sedative after she left.' Sakura thought while paysing around in her apartment.

'Hmm if that's the case then I'm glad that Naruto had the sense not to continue through the storm, if he had they would likely have both ended up with Hypothermia. Well Hinata at least... I don't know why but Naruto seems immune to sickness, all his wounds heal almost immediately and he seems able to recover from just about any injury in just one night. Tsunade says she's never seen anything like it but... I can tell she's hiding something.'

Her thoughts were immediately forgotten as they were interrupted by a tentative knock on the door. At this time it could only be them! Rushing to the door she nearly tripped upon her gear that she'd dropped unceremoniously in a wet heap once in the door. Stumbling back to her feet she flung the door open only to be greeted by the gaze of a Hyugaa, not Hinata, but Neji.

"So I'm guessing they haven't returned yet considering they have yet to be seen by any of the Hyugaa patrolling the city and they haven't been here either." Sakura nodded her head slightly and indicated he come in. Neji swore under his breath when she explained her theory, which he quickly adopted. "Dammit I never thought of that." he said with a grimace.

"Don't blame yourself, if anyone is to blame for her condition it's me, I saw the puncture mark of the needle but I thought that the drug only takes effect after the person receives the seal. I was careless." She felt terrible about what had happened as it was for the majority her part.

"Actually the true person to blame is me." Neji replied pain evident in his voice. "Normally you're right, the drug will not take effect until the seal is placed, however the seal is meant to be used when the Hyugaa is young and their chakra paths are still developing. A side effect of doing it at this age is that it is extremely painful. Knowing this I arranged for her to receive five times the normal dosage to help dull the pain, and now look, it turns out, that is the reason she's not safely back."

"Don't blame yourself Neji, you were just doing what was right, consider what might have happened if we hadn't managed to rescue her, if you hadn't given her that much of the sedative she would have had it much worse then if you hadn't." She didn't like seeing Neji beat himself up over his decision, after all she would have done the same in his position.

A moment passed between the two before either spoke, each trying to determine their next move. "We had better hope they return soon, the longer it takes for them to get back the more difficult our situation. The Hyugaa elder council has sent Hiashi who has informed Tsunade-samma of Hinata's kidnapping which will make approaching her more difficult then ever, not to mention that anbu teams will be after them soon." Neji sounded worried, but not hopeless. After all she had Naruto with her; so far he'd been the one to plan the entire thing, everything even the chakra smoke had been his idea. Neji wasn't sure why, but he knew, that just like the old Naruto, he could count on him to keep his promise.

**-Hokages office-**

"Tsunade-samma I require your assistance." Hiashi's angry, emotionless voice broke Tsunade's concentration on her paperwork, providing her and excuse being away from the dreaded stacks of paper; after all what could Hiashi possibly need her for that was worse then paperwork.

"Hiashi this had better be important to interrupt me as I have much paperwork to finish." she asked her voice intoned with annoyance rather then the relief she felt.

"Hinata has been kidnapped." His reply was bluntly stated, free from the usual flowery he generally employed when he spoke.

"Was kidnapped or ran away? You're clan posses the Byakugan and you're telling me that someone managed to not only infiltrate your compound but steal your daughter AND get away?" She sounded angry, but she was far, far past angry, she knew quite well of how badly Hiashi and his clan abused Hinata and she had to wonder if it had finally been too much for the girl to handle.

"Tsunade-samma I assure you that this was indeed a kidnapper, we have several eye witnesses who saw the intruder take her, her kidnapper was highly skilled as he dealt with not only a contingent of guards, but two elite Hyugaa shinobi all in a matter of seconds. Not to mention that not even one of them was killed or even severely wounded, simply incapacitated. Whoever did this also knew quite well about the Byakugan, somehow they managed to infuse the smoke in several smoke bombs with chakra making it as useful against our eyes as those of a regular person."

Tsunade's face blanched as a thought coursed through her mind, Akatsuki. Could they possibly have thought to kidnap Hinata and use her to bargain for Naruto? Hiashi did not miss the immediate change in demeanour from the blond in front of him. "Hokage-sama?" he did not like the look on her face at the moment.

"No it couldn't be them…Akatsuki wouldn't have left the guards alive…right?" The mention of the legendary Akatsuki caused Hiashi to visibly tremble, they know about it! But how could they possibly know after all these years! Mistaking Hiashi's trembling as a sign of worry for his daughter Tsunade tried to reassure the man.

"Don't worry we'll get your daughter back, and I highly doubt it was Akatsuki anyways, they operate in pairs and your witnesses saw only one man correct? Not to mention that they would not have left any of the guards alive."

Little did she know Hiashi was not at all concerned for his daughter's safety so much as what was inside her. He couldn't care less if she died so long as no one found out about the demon sealed within her. If anyone found out about the demon things would not go well for him or the Hyugaa clan. He was startled from his thoughts when suddenly an Anbu appeared seemingly from nowhere in a poof of chakra.

"Yes Hokage-samma?" he asked going to one knee before the Hokage. "Hinata of the Hyugaa clan has been kidnapped; I'm sending you after her. You will bring your team with you and capture the kidnapper and bring him to me, be advised, whoever he is he is very skilled; do not engage in one on one combat. You're dismissed."

With another poof of chakra the masked Anbu disappeared leaving Tsunade alone with Hiashi once again. An awkward silence passed between to two before Tsunade felt the need to speak. "There is not much else I can do, the majority of the anbu are working on other tasks at the moment and cannot leave their posts."

"It's not that Tsunade-samma, when you apprehend the kidnapper, I expect to be the first to know." He said his voice cold and emotionless.

"You needn't worry Hiashi; you'll be the first to know…other then myself."

With that Tsunade watched as Hiashi turned on his heel and walked from her office. Does he actually care about Hinata? Or is there some ulterior motive...

**-Hyuga compound-**

"Hiashi-samma you requested for me?" inquired a Hyugaa captain as he bowed before his clan head.

"Yes, I want you to take your squad and search for my daughter, if you find her before the Anbu then bring her to me, if she fights you and this proves impossible…kill her."

The captain raised his head, eyes wide with shock for a moment before training kicked d in; he'd just been asked to kill the heads daughter if necessary. "We cannot risk someone finding out about…it. If sacrifices need be made then so be it" Hiashi answered to the shinobi's unspoken question.

"Hai Hiashi-samma."

**-Naruto and Hinatas cave hiding spot-**

Naruto opened his eyes groggily taking in the scene of the cave as it splayed across his blurry vision. He glanced down at the form beside him and was pleased to see Hinata still deep in slumber. He let his gaze linger on her face, admiring her fine features while he didn't have to worry about courtesy. Suddenly a terribly sharp pain coursed through his abdomen causing him to double over in pain. He clamped down hard on his finger to muffle his outcry as his did not wish to wake Hinata. It felt like someone had taking a searing brand to his stomach.

" What the hell?" He thought as the markings of his seal began to glow a bright crimson.  
>He quickly turned his body away form Hinata and slowly began trying to make his way to the cave entrance, each step proving more difficult then the rest.<p>

' Fox…what's happening? …Something's wrong.'

"**Unfortunately little one it has begun.**"

Naruto was about to question the fox when the last of his strength left him and he collapsed just inside the small cave. Young Hinata Hyugaa deactivated her Byakugan and ceased watching the events unfold behind closed lids. After a few moments she ran over to the unconscious boy fear and worry plainly visible in her actions. " Oh Naruto-kun, what's happening to you? Please...please be ok!" worry evident in her voice.

**-Narutos mind-**

Naruto didn't even bother opening his eyes to take in the familiar place, he didn't have to; its smell and feel were more then enough. Opening his eyes and slowly getting to his feet he found himself in what appeared to be a maze of sewer tunnels lit only by a sickly yellow glow.

Cautiously he began maneuvering through the tunnels to his destination for the most part ignoring the eyes that glared at him from the shadows. He'd been here before numerous times but never was he able to shake the feeling of fear away, the place was far more frightening then any horror film had ever been, the very air itself reeked of malice making it hard to breath.

It wasn't long before came to a small doorway that opened up into a large chamber, it was from within that all the hate and malice seemed to originate. Slowly he approached the entrance but found himself hesitating, normally he would have entered without another thought, after all it wasn't even the fox's choice to give off the baleful aura, it was a self defence mechanism that came into play whenever he was in his bestial form, which as it turned out he was unable to revert from. But even knowing this he was hesitating all the same, something wasn't the same; something just didn't fell right…

Abruptly there was sudden blinding red flash from within the chamber, though it lasted only a few seconds it proved more then enough to blind Naruto for a few seconds. " What on earth is going on here!"

Knowing that until he figured out what was going on and talked to the fox that he likely wouldn't wake up, he decided to enter. Slowly he crossed the threshold into the enormous chamber fully expecting to see the fox sealed in his cage, what he actually saw shocked and frightened him. There was no cage, no seal, and no barrier to keep the fox sealed at all.

"B-but, t-that's impossible you should be stuck in here cause of the seal. Wait, where the hell is the seal!" Standing outside of the cage the red chakra of the fox swirled around before forming the distinct image of a monstrous fox.

"**I'm afraid it has begun kit; I never thought it would be so soon, in fact I didn't expect it to happen at all.**"

"Expect what to happen? Fox tell me what the fuck is going on!" Images of the fox escaping and destroying Konoha, not to mention his friends and Hinata filled his mind.

"**Calm down kit I'm still sealed with in so to speak so I'm not about to escape and go on a rampage.**"

Naruto settled down almost immediately, so long as nobody else was in danger things weren't nearly as bad as he'd thought. " But how are you still sealed in me? I mean your no longer in your cage or whatever and I don't see the seal anymore…in fact I don't even feel it anymore."

"**You are correct for once kit, the seal no longer exists, the seal created by Yondaime is no more.**"

Even though he'd expected as much the information hit him like a slap in the face; the seal was the only thing keeping the fox from escaping, but it was also the only thing that separated their chakra, even if the Kyuubi couldn't escape his life was about to become a lot more complicated.

"Okay fox I think it's time you told me what's going on here, you seem to know something and I want to know what the hell is going on."

He was shouting by the time he finished, frustration and fear taking hold, even as they spoke in his mind Naruto could feel the fox's chakra melding with his own and he was afraid of what might happen if it continued.

"**Before I explain anything about what's happening let me say this, you really need not worry too much about what's going on. This process will not change you in any harmful matter so stop worrying about what's happening with our chakra, besides it won't have an effect on you for at least a week, as even if expel more five times your maximum chakra per hour it will still take me at least that long fuse even half of my max.**"

As comforting, as the information was that he had nothing to worry about for at least a week's time Naruto was still in the dark and he desperately needed to know what was happening to him, if only so he could protect Hinata from himself.

"Fox you still haven't told me what's happening to me and if you think I'm leaving without an answer then you're dead wrong." His tone was calm and cold something the fox had not expected from his charge, it seemed that his host was more concerned with the Hyugaa then he was with himself.

"Ya so what if I am? I've always been more concerned with others, after all since your inside me I'm practically invincible, sure I can be hurt but so far I have no evidence to suggest that I CAN die."

"**Naruto…I didn't say anything…**"

"What? What the hell do you mean you didn't say anything, I heard it clearly so give me that shit!" The calm façade was gone, replaced with the rash angry hothead that Kyuubi was used to.

"So what if I'm rash? I get the job done at least! Now tell me what's happening to me!"

"**Naruto I haven't said anything… your reading my thoughts just like I can read yours.**"

This came as a surprise and when Naruto concentrated he found that he could indeed make out Kyuubi's thoughts.

"B-but how can I do that? I mean I know you can but that's because you're inside me, why can I suddenly read your thoughts even though I've never shown any sign of being able to before?"

"**Well I suppose you have to know, after all it will change your life drastically in the future.**" Naruto grimaced at this but refrained from letting loose an outburst, he wanted to know what was going on sooner rather then alter.

"**As you know a Jinchuuriki has the ability to use the chakra of the demon sealed within them. You also know that there is a strong link between Bijuu and human. This symbiotic relationship of host and demon stays separate throughout the life of the Jinchuuriki until the host dies, the Bijuu leaves, and or the Bijuu is transferred into another host.**"

Kyuubi took a moment to let all this sink in and was pleased to see that Naruto had been paying strict attention and had it seemed, absorbed every word.

"**However there are certain possible…anomalies. As you saw, or rather were told by Yamato after I wiped the girl's memory, when you lost control in the fourth tail stage in your battle against Orochimaru your body changed. The reason for this is that the body tries to find equal ground, the equilibrium at which both Bijuu and host are in sync. Most Jinchuuriki need not worry about this; someone like Garra for example, would never need to worry about this as he is the host of Shukaku who only posses one tail. Their equilibrium is so that you see no difference in him, he is at equilibrium constantly. You on the other hand have more to worry about.**"

"I don't have anywhere near as much chakra as you do and so to reach equilibrium I'm going to have to change dramatically." Naruto said somberly believing he'd figured it out.

"**Yes…and no. Being the strongest of the nine Bijuu I have far more chakra then any of the other demons, if your body changed to reach equilibrium you would simply be consumed by my chakra, essentially you would become ME. That is not what is happening to you now Naruto.**"

"Then what IS happening? You may have said that it's not harmful to me or anyone else but you did say that it would change my life and I want to know why and when and how."

"**Even without my power, few people have as much chakra as you do, the Uchiha, your sensei, Tsunade, and purple eyes are the only ones who rival you in that department if we exclude everyone from Akatsuki. Because of this, a new option apparently became available. Instead of changing your body so as to sync us we are in a way melding. Instead of having to make our chakra levels equal to reach equilibrium they are fusing together to form ONE chakra. This means that for the most part your body will remain the same.**"

"Hey what do you mean by 'for the most part'! Are you saying that I'm going to look like I do when I use your chakra all the time now!"

"**Well since you are essentially fusing with me it's obvious that some changes were bound to occur, I cannot say for certain what they will be as this has never actually occurred before.**"

"Wait, where does that leave you exactly, I mean if we fuse or whatever you want to call it and It's still my body where are you going to be?"

"**I've thought about this and I'm not entirely sure what will happen to me, from the way things are progressing I'm guessing that things will end up a lot like before, I will still be here, the little voice in your head but I'll be more involved, I'll end up being the little voice of reason I imagine.**" The Kyuubi let out a sigh thinking about what was to come.

"Why is this happening now? I mean I've never been in sync with you so why is this happening now of all times. What makes this so special?"

"**Well as you may have known from the legends about our kind, or rather my legend especially, there were certain times when I terrorized the land of fire to speak. You see the reason for this is natures little way of using us to help keep everyone in line and keep the human population under control. You see roughly every eighteen years we Bijuu lose control of our senses and essentially go mad. For precisely two days after the 'fury' begins we destroy everything and anything we come into contact with.**" Kyuubi could tell from the look on Naruto's face that he did not like where this information seemed to be taking him.

"**Don't worry this does not occur in a Jinchuuriki because during these three special days the two become synced in order to avoid the fury. That is why we must do things the special way, even if we became in sync by changing your body, since you would simply become another me you would still be susceptible to the fury and thus would be a danger to yourself not to mention everyone around you. I've started the process so as to prevent us or rather you from losing control and destroying your village. The fury occurs in one week, the same day I was sealed within you, October 10th…**"

"My birthday…Well I guess there's not anything I can do about this so…I guess I'll just have to see what happens." Naruto's reply sounded hollow and weak and the demon could understand why.

All of Naruto's life he'd been forced to put up with being called the 'demon fox', 'fox brat' and numerous other derogatory titles, he'd been terribly abused as a child and if not for Kyuubi likely would have died from many of the incidents. It had taken years for him to make any friends and even longer for the village to trust him, even now a good half the village still gave him the same cold looks. If he wandered around looking more like the fox then ever then it would prove impossible to hide the truth from his friends. Truthfully the fox believed that his friends would simply take it in stride but Naruto was afraid that they would see him as the village did, as a monster.

"**You know I highly doubt that any of your friends will really care if they happen to find out, I know that at least a certain Hyugaa wouldn't.**" The mention of Hinata raised Naruto's spirits just a little, lifting him from his depressive mood.

"**Well your going to have to sleep through the next few hours as the fusion begins, don't worry the Hyugaa is alive and kicking and looking over you as we speak.**"

"Ok…" Naruto sighed in frustration of not being able to tell Hinata he would be ok.

-**back in the cave**-

His fever's gone and his breathing's stabilized, not to mention he's no longer grimacing like a dead pig. Hinata sat with her crush's head in her lap seeming to absently stare at his face while she unconsciously ran her fingers through his hair. Nobody who walked into the room would know that she was even then conversing with another.

"**How can you tell that his fever's gone just by looking at him?**" Shichubi currishly asked her host. Hinata had become much closer to her 'protector' since they'd met only a few hours ago. During her sleep and even when she was lying awake they'd talked and discussed this and that.

'Just one thing I've noticed over the years, whenever he has a fever his ears turn red a the tips, they faded from red a few moments ago indicating that he no longer has a fever, or rather that if he does it's now very, very mild.' Said Hinata while moving some of his hair of his face.

'So what do you think that flash was from earlier, I mean in that one second I caught a glimpse of more chakra then I've seen in my entire life. What could it possibly have been?' Hinata asked Shichubi thinking she may have an answer.

"**I have my guesses love but we'll just have to wait to see if I'm right. I'm not going to say anything because if I prove to be right I would rather he told you himself, both of you would feel better about it that way.**"

Deciding on a change of subject Hinata asked Shichubi a question that had been nagging her for some time. 'Shichubi did you umm…you know have like a name, like an actual name, name?'

The question had never been asked of her before and so Shichubi was at a loss for words as she digested what she'd been asked. "**You know you are the first person I've ever met who has ever asked me my name, thank you Hinata I'm grateful for your consideration.**"

'Consideration? I can't believe that none of your previous hosts have ever asked, I mean they must have been very rude people.'

Shichubi mentally shrugged. "**Well as for my name it's~**"

Abruptly the strange seal on Naruto's chest flared again a bright crimson bathing the entire area in its strange luminous glow. Hinata gasped at the unexpected light show she was witnessing whereas Shichubi's reaction was seemingly far more dramatic and outspoken.

"**T-that's impossible! There's no way, I-it couldn't possibly be happening and there's no chance that I-it's…her**."

Hinata was confused by the awe, fright, and surprise found in the demons voice, whatever was happening, she knew something and whatever it was it must have been big.

"What do you mean 'her', what's going on here! Is Naruto going to be alright?" Hinata shouted out loud rather than talking in her mind.

"**Yes love your mate here is going to be fine, more then fine, what's happening to him has never happened before to anyone but he'll be unharmed.**"

'But what's actually happening to him? Please don't keep me in the dark, I can tell you know what's going on.' Hinata pleaded the demon to answer her question.

" 'sigh'** Love it's not my secret to tell, I had expected him to have a certain secret but I never expected this, it's no wonder he came up with that dumb grin, he's had to fake his smiles most of his life and now I know why. Before you ask, no I will not tell anymore then this, he will tell you when he's ready.**"

"But~"

"**Sorry love but I must leave you now for a while, for not only your safety but that of your friends and family, your entire village. I'm sorry for this as it will change you in ways you will have a hard time dealing with but I assure you that this is for the best. After all I doubt you'd be able to live with yourself if you ended up killing the young man in your lap.**"

"Kill Naruto, I would never do that!" Hinata shouted at the biju half angry that she would think she would hurt Naruto and half worried at what she had meant.

"**You would not be in control of your actions.**"

'Then what's going on? Tell me please… all you've said is that I might kill the man I love and yet your not telling me why.' At this Hinata broke down tears running down her face and fear on her face that she would hurt her true love.

As guilt and sympathy ran through the demons mind at those words, her host truly cared for the blond boy, more so then her family or anyone for that matter.

"**I'll tell you this but no more, this will change you, physically and mentally, as much as I hate to do this to you as it will make your life more difficult then it already is, it is the only way to keep you from being taken by the fury. The fury is time when we Bijuu lose our minds so to speak and go on a mindless rampage, what I'm going to do to you will prevent this from happening.**" Shichubi said trying to cheer her host up. "**Whatever you do stay with Naruto, you two will need each other to get through this.**"

With a nod from Hinata Shichubi started to disappear but without one final thought to her self. '_**I'm truly sorry that you two have to go through this.**_'

With that Hinata felt the presence of Shichubi fade from her mind and center itself in the back of her mind, to her chagrin she also noticed through her Byakugan that her chakra was melding with that of the demon inside her. She focused outwards and immediately ceased the use of using her Byakugan, at the moment Naruto might as well have been a miniature sun, so much chakra could be found.

She was about to move to get something to eat when she suddenly felt drowsiness overtake her. 'Why am I so sleepy?'

Before she could even try to extricate her legs from under Naruto's muscled body she collapsed onto his chest. ' Well…at least…if…if…I'm…going to…sleep…it might…as well be…with…' The rest of her thought went unfinished as she fell into a deep sleep.

**-Sakuras apartment-**

Sakura opened her eyes with a start as she heard a loud knock at the door. It's them it has got to be them. She moved to get up and answer but was surprised to find the wait of Neji lying against her. She blushed remembering that they'd both decided to wait at her place for the return of their friends; apparently they had both fallen asleep while waiting for the pair to return.

Gently she shifted Neji off her shoulder and moved to the door once again expecting the arrival of her friends…once again she was disappointed. There standing in the doorway was not Naruto and Hinata, but rather Tenten and Lee.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sakura asked hoping that neither would see Neji asleep within her apartment, as they wouldn't let her know the end of it.

She was surprised when Tenten pushed her way inside and Lee soon followed after his girlfriend. "Did you really think we couldn't figure out who did it? I mean even though they're trying to keep it quiet we know what happened. So where are they, I mean I know about why you guys did it because Hinata told me but I don't see them anywhere around here?"

Sakura's face looked crestfallen as she was wondering about the whereabouts of her team-mate and friend even as Tenten spoke. "They should have been back by now but… there were some complications."

"Who else knows and is out there with her, Kiba? Shino?" Tenten asked wondering whom else Hinata had told. "And how did you guys deal with guards so easily? You guys ghosted an entire contingent of chunnins and two jounins without severely injuring any of them. Some people have saying that the only people who could have done it was the Akatsuki."

Tenten had been surprised when she'd heard the tale and learned it was the truth, but she was even more surprised when Sakura's expression took on a surprised look at Tenten's information.

"He did all that…by himself… how much stronger have you gotten?" she whispered under her breath.

"Who's 'he'?" Tenten asked with a strange look on her face, Sakura didn't answer as she was still digesting the thought of how much stronger her team-mate had become.

"No…there's no way…him? B-but I didn't even think he was back, and h-how could he be that much stronger." Tenten was stuttering, as she could hardly believe what she was hearing. She was sure her assumption was correct, and Sakura confirmed it when she merely shrugged her shoulders.

However her expression went from disbelief to mischievous as she considered the possibilities of her friend being alone with Naruto for extended periods of time. She kept her thoughts to herself however as she noticed Neji awake with an expression of worry much akin to Sakura's.

"Neji shouldn't you have gone back to the complex last night? I mean your Uncle might suspect something." She asked trying to turn the subject away from Hinata.

"No, I'm the leader of all the search parties and so it would be no big deal if I didn't return, not to mention that it's well known that I'm one of the few in the clan that truly cares for her and so it would be expected for me to do my best to find her 'kidnapper'." Neji's logic was palpable and so it ended the conversation.

An awkward silence followed in which the four residents simply stared at the floor hoping that someway somehow the door would burst open with Naruto carrying a healthy Hinata along with him. Sakura broke the silence however with a suggestion that although it made sense, none of them particularly liked.

"Guys we need to talk to Tsunade now. If this keeps up and they don't come back then they'll have anbu hunter teams to deal with and as good as Naruto has become I doubt even he can take on squads of Anbu by himself."

"I hate to burst your bubble Sakura but you'd be wrong." The sudden unexpected voice from the back of the room sent all four of the chunin into defensive positions. To the shock of everyone in the room, there in all his glory stood Jiraiya drinking a glace of what Sakura realized to be some of her hidden stash of sake.

"B-but how?" she whispered in disbelief that even a Sanin could so easily sneak into her home, locate her stash and prepare himself a drink without alerting any of them to his presence. "Truly girl you don't take me seriously, I'm not one of the sannin for nothing, I mean on a good day I doubt I could have managed but you guys were so caught up worrying that you didn't even notice me sneak in."

The four just stared still shocked at the sudden entrance of Tsunade's old team-mate. "I would suggest you go see Tsunade immediately as she has already sent anbu after Naruto and Hinata, I don't fear for those two so much as the squad sent to capture them, and it would not do well for Naruto to end up killing or severely injuring a fellow shinobi."

The older more experienced ninja's advice proved to be the final decision as the four chunin got up and made for the door, ready and willing to tell their Hokage about the little planned kidnapping.

**-Hokages office-**

Tsunade sat behind her desk staring hard at the five ninja who stood before, four chunin, and at the head stood none other then her perverted team-mate Jiraiya. She knew they'd been up to no good just from one glance at the huddled group, all but Neji avoiding eye contact looking at their feet. She knew this was due to what some had deemed to call 'anger issues', she'd been under a lot of stress since assuming the position as Hokage of Konoha and her frustration chose anger as it's release. She knew that when she blew…she REALLY blew.

"Well I can tell just from your demeanour that something's up and from your hesitant states I would say that I'm probably not going to like it. But you should know that more then I hate receiving bad news…I hate even more being made to wait." Even as she finished she turned her baleful glare over the group causing even Jiraiya to cower under her gaze.

"Tsunade they have something they need to tell you and before this even begins I have to say that I approve of their decision. Please don't be hard on them, they were just trying to do the right thing." With that being said the toad sage stepped aside and let Sakura step forward to deliver the news.

"Well Tsunade it's…well it's about Hinata's kidnapping. The ones who orchestrated the whole thing…well it was us, or more specifically me Neji and Naruto."

Tsunade looked at her apprentice hard trying to discern some possible motif for what she had done, kidnapping was a criminal offence, even more so when it involved the kidnapping of a noble of the Hyugaa clan, however even as this came to mind another thought passed through her brain. They were the ones who'd so easily dealt with the guards? They've come farther then I thought.

"So you three were the ones that dealt with the guards then, well I must say you guys have improved far more then I thought to manage it so well. I take it you were the one who planned this whole thing out Neji?" she asked directing her question at the Hyugaa prodigy. She was quite surprised when Neji began looking at the ground with an embarrassed look on his face.

"Actually Tsunade-samma you're wrong on both accounts." The reply came from the pink haired Kunoichi at the front of the pack. "First off Naruto was the one who planned the whole thing, secondly neither I nor Neji were even near the compound when the guards were incapacitated, that was also Naruto's doing."

Tsunade thought she'd heard wrong, Naruto was the one to plan everything! He could hardly plan out what to eat for lunch before he left and now he's planning out full scale kidnapping's involving the clan in possession of the Byakugan. Then Sakura's second point hit home. 'Naruto…he dealt with the guards…b-but that would put him on a whole new level…he's probably as strong as me now…maybe even Jiraiya...' Tsunade thought to her self.

Tsunade was brought from her musing's by a very nervous and anxious Sakura. "Sensei…umm don't you want to know why we did it before you go and punish us?" she asked timidly, she was afraid of what her sensei might do to them if they didn't get the chance to explain.

Tsunade turned her baleful glare on the four, focusing in particular on Neji and her student, they had caused her a lot of trouble and form the looks of things might cause her a great deal more. "Explain." she stated coldly causing the four to shudder.

"Well I don't want to spend a whole lot of time on this subject so I'll just say it; Hiashi was going to put the curse mark on Hinata." The fact that it had been Neji who had spoken and not Sakura, and his lack of proper etiquette spoke wonders for his concern for his cousin.

"Nani!" Tsunade could hardly believe she'd heard that from Neji's mouth. Why on earth would they do that to someone like Hinata, she was one of the most kind-hearted people in Konoha, not to mention that she did practically everything in her power to please her father, and then this?

"Neji I think you should explain to me why Hiashi was going to do this."

"Well to put it simply, he was trying to disown her, he always neglected her and so her training in her early years was never enough for her to reach any level of great skill, for this reason he considered her weak. To make matters worse Hinata-samma is not exactly cut out for the job of a shinobi, she cares too much to kill anyone unless one of her friends is in terrible danger. It was these things that caused my uncle to declare Hanabi as the heir rather then Hinata."

Neji took a breath and during the pause everyone wore sympathetic faces, Hinata had suffered during her childhood and had still been suffering until recently.

"After Naruto left Hinata-samma put everything she had into training, she quickly rose in levels of skill until very recently she actually surpassed me. I'd thought that this would impress my uncle and cause Hinata to be treated better within the family…I was wrong. For some reason the other clan members took this as a bad sign, they gave her cold glares even more then usual and avoided her as much as possible, it wasn't long after that when the Hyugaa elder council in conjunction with Hiashi, declared that she was to be given the curse mark. I don't know why but…I think they are afraid of her."

Tsunade took a few moments to take all this information in, she'd never heard Neji utter this many words at once and so she'd paid close attention when he'd spoken. Neji was typically the silent type, but when he did speak it was usually best to pay attention as he rarely spoke about things of no concern.

"So in order to stop Hinata from receiving the curse mark you guys kidnapped her. Well I suppose that you were only trying to do the right thing and I commend you on actually pulling it off. Now however comes the hard part, as soon as Hinata is seen then the Hyugaa will assume we have the kidnapper, so not only will I have to come up with some story telling them how I learned what they planned to do to Hinata, but also one explaining how her kidnapper either abandoned her or escaped."

"Actually sensei we have another problem. Neither Naruto nor Hinata have yet to show up. We know that if they were caught by Hyugaa patrols that we'd know about it so we can only assume that they are still out in the forest somewhere." Sakura then went on to describe how Hinata had been given a sedative and how that and the rain were likely the reason Hinata and Naruto weren't back yet.

Tsunade fought hard to contain her groan; this new generation of shinobi had proven themselves to be a royal pain in the ass. "Alright I want you guys to go and find Hinata and Naruto, I'll call off the anbu so don't worry about them, but don't get caught by any of the Hyugaa search parties, and whatever you do don't bring Hinata back here until I instruct you to do so. I have to have a talk with Hiashi before that happens."

"Hai!" boomed the unanimous reply, before they all exited in poofs of chakra.

"I trust you'll keep and eye on them and keep them out of trouble?"

"They're my students too you know." Was the reply as outside her window Kakashi closed his Itcha Itcha novel and summoned his dogs. 'Tonight was going to be a long night.' Tsunade thought as she reached for one of her secret sake stashes whising to cleanses the headache witch was to come from this whole thing.

**-End of chapter two.-**

What do you guys think this is the edited version of the original I tried to add a littlie here and there to round it off as well as fix the punctuations marks.


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